Lost and Found
by TerraPrime
Summary: I was taken from my mother and brother. I was abandoned by my father. I was living with my uncle, until he left too. Now I've found a family. A real family that cares and knows my name. That will protect me no matter what. Too bad they aren't human. Fatherly fluff between Breakdown and my O.C. Tawny Darby.
1. Where are we going?

Okay, so this is my new story. Review, please. I will accept constructive criticism. If you don't like the story, than I want to know why. I don't like people who just tell me that they hated it, but don't explain why. It bugs me to no end and leaves me wondering where I went wrong.

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Chapter 1

Where Are We Going, Dad?

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**3rd P.O.V.**

"We're going." A man said to the eight-year-old, "Pack you're things and get in the car."

"Okay, daddy. Where are we going? Are mommy and Jacky coming too, or is it you and me?" The little girl asked her father curiously. She had never been outside her hometown before. "No, mom and Jack are staying here. It's just you and me." he said and smiled at her. She ran up the stairs and started to pack her clothes up. She wondered why he hadn't told her that they were leaving sooner. Her mother and older brother were out. She was taking Jack to see her job at the hospital. Excitement, as well as nervousness rushed through her as she realized that she was going on a trip to somewhere new, not boring, old Jasper.

She vaguely wondered if mom would be back in time to say goodbye to her and how long they would be gone. She finished packing her things. Since she didn't know how long they would be gone she grabbed her picture of their family off the shelf, her favorite blanket, and filled a backpack with a kindle (she loved to read), movies, and a pair of headphones. She grabbed a piece of paper of the desk that she and her older brother shared and wrote a quick goodbye note:

**Going on trip with dad. I'll see you and mom when we get back. Don't touch my stuff while I'm gone. Got it, Jacky? See you soon. Love Ya, Tawny**

She put the note down on his bed, slung the backpack over her shoulder, grabbed the suitcase handle, and ran down the stairs. She cruised down the hallway and then into the garage. She hopped into the backseat of the truck and pulled out her kindle and began to read _The Outsiders_ by S.E. Hinton. Dad came out of the house quickly and started the car. He drove out of the garage like he was being chased by the hounds of Hades. She looked back just in time to see her mother run out of the garage and try to follow their car. 'She must have really wanted to say goodbye.' Tawny thought as she turned back to her book. 'I'll be back soon. I'll make it up to her then. Darn it! I left the I-pod behind! Oh well, I guess Jack will use it.'

**Jack's P.O.V.**

Mom drove up the driveway and parked the car. I jumped out and saw my bike sitting on the lawn. I grabbed it and began to lead it up to the garage door. I heard yelling and dropped my bike. I ran into the house and saw my mom yelling at my dad. She was crying and shouting at my dad to take whatever was his and leave. He turned and walked toward the door. He paused when he saw me and gave me a cold glare. I stepped back and let him pass me. He ran through the garage door and I heard the truck start-up. The reality of what was happening hit me. Dad was leaving and he wasn't coming back.

I felt the tears building up and sliding down my cheeks. My mom saw me and walked forward slowly and pulled me into a hug. As she did this a horrifying thought came into my head. I pulled away from her and felt panic rising in me. "Mom, where's Tawny? Where is she?" I asked and she jumped up and ran out the door and into the drive-way. She ran after the car until it was out of sight. I walked into the house, ran up the stairs, and into the room that me and Tawny shared. I looked around the room and immediately noticed the lack of Tawny's stuff. I zeroed in on the note that sat on my bed. I sat down on the bed and read the note. Then again, and again. I kept looking over the neat words that were written on the note.

She hadn't known she wasn't coming back when she had left this. She had thought that she was coming back. I fell forward on the bed, headfirst into the pillows. I felt his tears start to soak the pillow case and I heard my mom come into room. I heard her pick up the note and I felt her start to stroke my hair. She was singing to him, telling him that it would be okay. I could tell that she didn't believe her own words, so I didn't either. He couldn't take hearing his mom sound so heart-broken anymore. I sat up and hugged my mom. "Don't worry mom. I'll look after you. She didn't know that she wasn't coming back when she wrote this. She'll find a way back here. I won't leave you." I said and started stroking her hair and tried to swallow the tears. "I'll never leave you." I whispered to my mom.

'And I'll find you Tawny. No matter what, I'll find you.' I thought quietly as we sat there and I stopped crying. 'I won't cry again until I find you.'

**Two Days Later, Tawny's P.O.V.**

"We're here." dad said as he shook me awake. We had been on the road for two days. I wondered where we were as I looked out the window. It was dark and the only light came from the car itself and a lamp at the end of a long driveway. There were trees all around us. I had never seen trees before because there weren't any in Jasper. Dad grabbed my bag and I hopped out of the car. I immediately noticed the misty rain that was sprinkling down. When it rain in Jasper it poured down so hard, hence the large canals that kept the town from flooding.

I followed dad up to the porch of the house, it was large, three stories tall in fact. Dad knocked on the door loudly and then rang the doorbell twice. Half a minute later the door opened to reveal a tall man with brown hair. "Hello, Daren. Nice to see you again. Is this the little angel that I've heard so much about." he said and directed his stare at me and smiled kindly at me. I suddenly became shy and nodded slightly at the man. He and Dad were obviously friends. "Honey, go sit on the swing. I need to talk to your uncle for a minute, okay." I nodded and walked over to the porch swing. So, this man was my uncle.

I glanced over and my dad and my uncle. My uncle's carefree smile faded and he said something but I couldn't hear it. He shot a glance my way and look a little sad. I stopped trying to hear what they were saying and looked up at the sky. I couldn't see many stars because of the clouds. I loved to look at the stars when I was at home. Dad would drive me out to the middle of the desert where there wasn't any light pollution and we would spend hours just looking at the stars. I went into a trance-like state as I gazed at the few stars I could see through the trees and clouds.

I was jerked out of my trance when I heard my uncle shout, "What do you mean she doesn't know yet?!" I glanced curiously at them and he caught my look and lowered his voice so I couldn't hear what he said next. My uncle seemed to engage in a heated by quiet argument with my father. In the end he slumped and said, "Okay, but you owe me. If the cops come after me..." I wondered what he meant.

"Thank you, it will only be for a little while." my dad said and he came over and picked up my bags. My dad walked in and I instantly fell in love with this house. The lights cast a warm orange glow around the room. The walls were deep purple and the floor was covered with lush black carpet. There was a black leather recliner and matching couch. A flat screen T.V. lined one wall and there were speakers on the roof. 'Yup, my uncle is single and is related to my dad.' I thought, 'I can't wait to watch Sherlock on that." My dad and I loved Sherlock, Doctor who, and any other British shows. I glanced around and found a shoe rack. I took of my wet shoes and placed them next to a pair of boots, my dad kept his shoes on.

My dad knelt next to me, "Honey, you're going to stay with your uncle for a few days. Okay? I need to get set up at our final destination and you can't come." I nodded, but inside I wanted to ask a million questions. If I had looked at my uncle I would have seen that he was glaring at my father. "Let's get you settled into your room and then I'll be off."

My uncle led me up two flights of carpeted stairs. To the basement. I frowned as I imagined a dark rat filled room covered in cobwebs. He opened the door and I cautiously peeked in. It was nothing like I had expected. This room was built for me. It had the same lush black carpet as the rest of the house. There was a queen sized bed with a purple nightstand with an alarm clock. The walls were covered in various posters from Sherlock to Star-wars to The Blue Man Group and everything else I liked. The comforters on the bed were covered in stars and galaxies. There was a computer in one corner. There was one window with a cushioned seat. A bookshelf was built underneath the window seat. I ran over and quickly scanned the titles. My eyes grew wide as I picked up some of my favorite books of the shelf. Dragon Slippers, Stardust, Gifted, The Lemonade War, and the Lightning Thief were all there, along with various comic books.

I turned around and looked at my uncle in awe. "H-How.."

"Oh, sorry this is just some old stuff of mine. I'll clear it out if you want."

"No, you're lying. You have the entire Perseus Jackson series. A few of these are brand new. How long have you had this room ready? This room was made for me."

"No and yes." My uncle blushed slightly as he said, "I like the series. Just because I'm a grown-up doesn't mean I can't like this stuff too. This room was made for you. Your father said that he might come around sometime and he told me that you reminded him of me. So, I put together the ideal room for me and hoped you would like it. Do you like it?"

Oh, "No, I don't like it..." I said and he frowned, "I LOVE IT!" I yelled and jumped on him. He laughed as if he already knew he was my new favorite grown-up. "I can't wait to tell Jack what he's missing. Can I call him?", my uncle stopped laughing immediately and looked at my dad, who was standing in the door frame. "No, hun. Not right now.", my dad said slowly and this time I caught my uncle's glare. I wondered if it was a sibling rivalry thing.

"I'm going now." My dad spread out his arms and I jumped into them. "I love you, daddy. I'll see you soon, right." I said and he nodded, "Bye, sweetheart."

Then he left.

**The Next Morning**

I groaned as I swept my feet out of the most awesome bed I had ever slept in. I looked at the clock, it was 11:00. David (My uncle insisted I called him David) stayed up with me and we watched the entire Star Wars saga. According to him, I fell asleep when Han shot Greedo at the Cantina and he carried me up to my room. I stumbled to the dresser and pulled out my favorite 'Welcome to the Dark Side. We lied about the cookies.' tee. I pulled on a pair of black jeans and walked down the carpeted stairs. I followed the scent of bacon to the kitchen, where David was waiting, and quickly grabbed a few pieces and a waffle. "G'mornin, David." I grumbled and sat down at the modern-looking glass table. "Not a morning person, are ya."

"I love mornings, I've been in a car for the past 2 days, I deserve to sleep in." He chuckled and poured me a glass of orange juice. I was beginning to think he could read minds. I think I'm going to like it here.

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That is the end of chapter 1. I hope you liked it. There won't be any bots for a while. The 'cons are going to make an appearance soon. I need reviews and votes on my poll. I will update the story with the most reviews/votes first.

**UPDATED 4/8/13**


	2. Where are you?

This story has the most votes on my poll so I'm updating.

I forgot the disclaimer last time so here it is.

I do not own transformers prime. I only own Tawny and her uncle David. I wish I owned Transformers. If I did Breakdown wouldn't die, Shockwave wouldn't be just another one-episode Con, and Cliffjumper would have more than 5 minutes to live.

Oh yeah, her dad's last name is Price.

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**Lost and Found**

Chapter 2

Where are you?

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**One Week Later, 7:00pm**

I was loving my life with David, but every day that I spent at David's house was another day spent worrying about dad. He hadn't called for a week and David told me that I wasn't allowed to call my mom or brother. I didn't see why I couldn't at least send an E-mail, but David wouldn't let me.

I thought that maybe this was an elaborate birthday party thingy and my mom and dad were getting set up somewhere cool, but my birthday was in four months. I tried to stop thinking about the fact that I haven't seen mom for nine days and dad for a week. I knew he would be back by next week though. That's what David said anyway.

I surveyed the vast collection of movies my uncle owned and was shocked by the number of children's movies. Not like toddler movies, but How to Train Your Dragon, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, and many others. I grabbed a random movie off the shelf and put in the Blue-Ray player. It was Thor. I chuckled as I watched Loki do his thing: deceiving his brother, coming up with brilliant plans, and being all-out epic. For some strange reason, I had an unusual habit of becoming a huge fan of the 'bad-guys'. My brother had always preferred the heroes to the villains. That was one of our many disagreements in life.

We argued about everything, from cereal (Cheerios [Me] and Fruit Loops [Jack]) to favorite comics (Calvin and Hobbes and Marvel [me] D.C. Comics [Jack]) to our favorite subjects in school (History [Me, who doesn't love a good war? Kidding, I just think it's cool.] And Science [Jack]). Most people would think that being complete opposites would make us hate each other, but it made us closer. We had more variety this way. I looked like my dad and he looked like mom. I liked Star Wars and he liked Pokémon.

Thinking about him was making me homesick. I missed Jack a lot. Surely one e-mail wouldn't hurt. I turned off the movie and crept up the stairs to my temporary room. I walked over to the computer and opened my g-mail account. I typed up a quick e-mail:

**Hi Jack,**

**I miss you. Dad dropped me off at our uncle's house. I've been here for a week and dad hasn't called. David (Our Uncle) told me I wasn't allowed to call or e-mail you, but I'm not one to follow the rules:) You should see this house. It's huge and black and purple and there's a huge T.V. Wait am I rambling. Have you touched my stuff? I'll try to e-mail you soon.**

I heard David coming up the stairs and quickly finished:

**David's coming! Gotta go. TTYL**

**Missing You,**

**Tawny :)**

I sent the email and shut down the monitor. I grabbed my book, Cinder, and jumped on my bed. I opened it to a random page and started to read. David walked into the room and looked at me, "I thought you were watching a movie. Nice try, I know that you were on the computer. Your book is upside down." he chuckled as I looked down and noticed this for the first time. "I read upside down. It's fun." I said and smiled. It was true, I read better upside down. He smiled, "Me too, but seriously what were you doing on the computer? I can find out." He walked over and powered up the monitor. I jumped up and blocked his view of the screen.

"It's nothing." I said hurriedly and reached back quickly and hit the hot-key that cleared the screen to the desktop. "So, you _were _using the computer." He smirked and lightly moved me out of the way. He sat down and opened up the internet, clicked the history, then opened up my most recent page. My e-mail account. He looked at the sent mail and saw my e-mail to Jack. He looked at me and frowned. "You e-mailed your brother?"

I looked down, "Sorry, I missed him. I've never been away from him this long." He wouldn't be mad at me for being homesick, would he? His face softened and he smiled sadly. "It's okay, Tawny. But you shouldn't have sent that e-mail. Look." He gestured to the screen and I glanced over. An error box hovered over the tab, one I had been too busy to see after I sent the e-mail. It read:

**Error: E-mail Address Not found. No E-mail Account Found For _Jack Price._**

Jack had deleted his E-mail account?! Why? Did he get in trouble and Mom made him? No, he was always too obedient to break the rules. Did he not want me to e-mail him? My head spun and I felt like crying. I had no way to contact my brother without David knowing right away. "Can I call mom?" I asked already aware of the answer. He frowned and shook his head sadly.

"I'm going to bed, can you leave me alone for a little while?" I whispered and reached over and hit the power on the computer. The screen clicked off and he got up and headed to the door. "If you need anything just shout." he said and closed the door behind him. I quickly changed into my P.J.'s, clicked off the light, and hopped into the bed. The shadows loomed around me and the only light was the ghostly glow of the moon. The silence was heavy and the world seemed to be holding its breath. It would have been amazing if I was home in my bed. I had always loved the dark and the quiet. It gave me the space I needed to think and dream. Tonight was different, the dark and the silence seemed threatening to suffocate me. For the first time in my life, I knew what it was like to be afraid of the dark.

A week ago I had just let dad drive me away. I hadn't even said goodbye to Jack or Mom. Now I was in a stranger's house with no way to contact Jack, no knowledge of where my dad was or if he was coming back, and I didn't even know which state I was in. "Where are you, Dad?" I asked the silence. A crow cawed outside and I swear it was laughing at me.

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**Jack's P.O.V. Six Days Ago**

Mom had gone to the police immediately after dad had left and accused him of kidnapping Tawny. The police were working on finding her right now, but they have barely made any progress on finding them. They had found our car on the side of the road, abandoned. They had no leads on were they might have been. We had called his brother, David, but he had said he didn't know anything and that he was sorry about what his brother had done.

Mom had stopped using dad's last name, Price, and I was now Jack Darby. I had even changed my e-mail address from Jack Price to Jack Darby. Mom had thrown away anything that she could find that reminded her of dad, while Tawny's things were untouched, like a memorial. 'She never did like people touching her things.' I smiled sadly at this thought. I had tried to convince myself that dad would be found and Tawny would be back, but one thought danced at the back of my mind. What if Tawny didn't want to come back? We had always disagreed on everything, but if anything that brought us closer. I knew that dad had always liked her better than me. She was just like him, she was brave and wasn't afraid to break the rules if necessary. She had inherited her coal-black hair from him and her hazel eyes. Her love of danger and adrenaline were also a hereditary trait. She was her father's daughter. What if she didn't want to come back home?

"No. She wouldn't do that. She'll find a way back. She wouldn't leave us like that." I whispered to the book shelve that was occupied souly by Tawny's books. I got good grades, but I was never much of a reader. I looked at the titles of the books. There was every kind you could imagine, from History to Syfy. I felt the tears build, but they didn't fall. I had kept good on my promise to not cry. The unshed tears were killing me and almost everything made me want to cry. I looked over at the night stand that sat by Tawny's bed, there on top was our shared I-pod.

I quickly walked over and picked it up. I knew that she hadn't left it behind on purpose. She was a music person. She always listened to music when she read her books. I walked over to my dresser and pulled open the top drawer and dug down until I found my headphones. I walked over to my bed which faced Tawny's side of our room. We had split the room half and half so I had to face her empty bed each night until we found her. I turned on the iPod and found one of her playlists. I set it to shuffle and fell backward.

_I miss you. Miss you so bad.  
I don't forget you. Oh it's so sad.  
I hope you can hear me.  
I remember it clearly._

_The day you slipped away,  
Was the day I found it won't be th-_

I switched the song:

_The_ _stars lean down to kiss you,  
I lay awake and miss you._

'The Universe hates me.' I thought as I switched the song:

_I always needed time on my own,  
I never thought I'd need you there when I cried.  
And the days feel like years when I'm alone._

At this point I felt like throwing the iPod across the room. I turned off the music and glanced at the title of the playlist I had picked:

**Tawny's Playlist of Depressing Songs**

I chuckled despite myself. She always did that. When she left the house, even it was only for a couple of hours, she would make it feel like she was still here. I pulled off my headphones, turned of the I-pod and fell asleep smiling. She had answered my troubling questions herself. She would come back. She always did.

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Okay so this was another chapter. I know this is one of my more popular stories so I'll update this more often. I know this is a much shorter chapter then I'll usually do. The songs I used were:

Slipped Away by Avril Lavingne

Vanilla Twilight by Owl City

When You're Gone by Avril Lavingne

Review please.


	3. Out of the Frying Pan, Into the Fire

Okay, new chapter. Sorry for not updating sooner. I had this chapter all typed up and ready to go, but I read it over and decided to rewrite it. Then Fan Fiction wouldn't let me log into my account.

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers. I only own Tawny and her uncle.

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Chapter 3

Out of the Frying Pan, Into the Fire

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**One Month Later-Jack's P.O.V.**

"We're moving." Mom said slowly, "Not out of town, but across town to another house. I can't live here anymore."

"What?!" I yelped, "But what if Tawny tries to come back?"

"It's been a month. She's most likely dead Jack. He might've killed her. He's dead too." She said it bluntly like she didn't want to care, but I could tell she was trying hard not to cry. "He died in a car accident. They found his body, but she wasn't there."

"SHE IS NOT DEAD!" I roared, "She can't be. He wouldn't do that to her. She'll be back."

"I'm sorry, Jack." She whispered and hugged me, "They told me this morning. The movers are coming tomorrow. Start packing."

"No, I'm not leaving if there's still a chance that she'll come back."

"Serious Face, Jack." I backed away when I looked up. It wasn't her serious face. It was a mask of pain and hurt and anger.

I stared at her numbly and walked upstairs to my room. I looked at the boxes mom had no doubt brought up earlier. Some were full. Tawny's shelves were empty and her bed was stripped. Mom had already packed Tawny's things. I slowly started packing up my shirts and pants, then my few books, then a few projects from school. I packed up everything, but my blankets because I had to sleep tonight.

I looked over at my dresser and remembered the one thing I owned that was worth keeping. The iPod, Tawny's iPod. The one thing that could keep her close. I had read stories about people who had lost family members, who slowly forgot their faces, their favorite things, and even the person's name. _That won't happen to me _I thought boldly as I clutched the iPod in my left hand.

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**Tawny's P.O.V**

"He's not going to come back, is he?" I whispered to David. His head shot up and I saw the startled look before it disappeared. "What do you mean?" he said slowly.

Suddenly I felt angry, "You know darn well what I mean! He left me here and HE'S NOT COMING BACK!" I yelled at him, "It's been a month and I haven't heard anything from my family!" My vision blurred with tears. David walked over and put his hand on my shoulder, "Tawny, I'm sorry. I was going-"

"YOU KNEW!" I screamed and pushed him away from me, "I hate you. Get away from me!" I ran up the stairs and into my room. I slammed the door and locked it, then for good measure I put a chair under the knob. I curled up on the window seat with a blanket and my photo frame. I stared at the smiling faces in the picture. I was 4 and Jack was 6 when this was taken. Mom was holding me and Jack was sitting on dad's shoulders. Jack and I weren't looking at the camera. We both were looking at each other and grinning ear to ear.

I stared at the picture and fell silent. The tears still streaming down my face. The silence was broken only by my occasional hiccup. David was probably going to wait to talk to me. If he wasn't he would have been up here now trying to get through the door. I got up, turned off the lights, and drew the curtains over the window. Then, I double checked the door to make sure it was locked and changed into my P.J.'s.

I cried myself to sleep.

**The next morning...**

When I woke up I felt weird. I shook it off and got out of bed and into my clothes. I had slept well considering the circumstances. I walked over and saw that the door was unlocked but the chair was still in place. He must know how to unlock the door. I figured that he had come up in the night and tried to get in but the chair had stopped him. I got up and immediately went to the computer. I powered up the monitor and logged into the account I had set up. I opened the internet and went to Google. I hovered over the search box and typed my name. I hit "I'm feeling lucky", the article that popped up had pictures of my family (mostly of me and dad) and according to the article I had been kidnapped 5 weeks ago by my father after he had gotten into a fight with Mom.

The police had speculated that he had most likely taken me to get back at my mom. Some thought he had killed me, but since I had taken some of my things with me they doubted it. They were prepared to find a body, though._ My body_ I thought as shock numbed my mind. The police thought I might be dead. My mom thought I might be dead. I read the rest of the article and found out that they had found my father's body. He had gotten drunk and drove the car off a cliff.

I should have been sad, but all I felt was a sick sense of satisfaction. He had probably ruined my life and I might never see the rest of my family ever again. 'He deserved it.' I thought and then instantly felt horrible. No one deserved to die like that, even if they were horrible. That didn't mean that I loved him or that I forgave him. Just that he didn't deserve to die. The room was really hot.

I heard David knock on the door. "Go away! You _insert your favorite profanities_ _here_."

"Look," he said through the door, "You don't have to talk to me, you don't even have to look at me. I'm leaving some breakfast outside the door and then I'll go downstairs. I don't want you to starve." I heard retreating footsteps in the hall and I slowly walked over to the door. I stumbled and fell, but quickly got back up.

I gently pressed my ear to the door and, when I didn't hear anything for a minute, I moved the chair and opened the door. A plate heaped with bacon, eggs, and waffles sat on a tray on the floor. Next to it there was a cup of water and another cup full of orange juice. I picked it up and walked back into the room. I kicked the door shut behind me and set the tray on the desk, then ran back and replaced the chair under the knob. I took a small sip of the juice and continued to read through all the articles on me. Maybe I could send a message through the comments. No, I needed an account and for that I would need a credit card. I kept reading through the various articles.

By the time I was finished reading I no longer had an appetite. I stared at the food on my plate and felt sick. I ran to the door and threw the chair out of my way. I was halfway down the stairs when I threw up.

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David's P.O.V.

I was beating my head against a wall. "Idiot" I muttered as I stopped and plopped face down on the couch.

I had probably just ruined her life. She would never talk to me again. I had brought up her breakfast a few minutes ago and I had been quite shocked at her _colorful_ language. I had almost smiled last night when I had gone up and unlocked her door, only to be stopped by the chair. She had been clever enough to realize that I might have a key. I was proud to be her uncle.

I was annoyed at my brother. Sure, he was dead, but all I felt was annoyance and anger toward him. He had gone and kidnapped his daughter, who had done nothing to deserve it. Then, he abandoned her with me and said he would be coming back in a few weeks. Almost six weeks later he shows up dead and leaves me without a way to get her back to June without getting arrested.

I had grown quite fond of little Tawny during her stay. She was more alike to me than she was to her father. Now she hated me. To be honest I hated me too. She was stuck here for the rest of her life because I was too much of a coward to face jail time.

I groaned as I stood up and walked to the fridge. I had just pulled out a water bottle when I heard the upstairs door slam open, followed by the sound of someone running to the stairs. I ran toward the stair case and was greeted by the distinctive smell of vomit. I looked up and saw the carpeted stairs covered in puke and Tawny curled up on one of the steps.

I climbed the stairs, carefully avoiding the mess, and gently picked her up. She made a weak sound of protest and tried to fight me, but I just continued to climb up the stairs. I opened her door and laid her in bed. I pulled a blanket over her and ran back downstairs. I grabbed some Sprite, crackers, and a bucket and quickly went back upstairs. She was sitting up and looking miserable. When she noticed me she glared and uttered a few things I will not repeat.

"That's my girl." I said and smiled sadly as she glared. I set the crackers and sprite on the nightstand and set the bucket on the floor next to her bed. I walked over to the computer, intent on finding out why she was sick (I couldn't very well take her to a doctor). I shook the mouse and looked at the screen.

I winced when I read the headline of the article. 'Stupid, why did you let her go to the room with the computer?' I thought as I read through, 'No wonder she threw up. This is enough to make anyone sick. Not to mention the emotional stress of her father abandoning her and then dying. She probably doesn't know what to think.

I glanced at her and she glared at me. _I wish I could do something to for her _I thought and turned off the computer. I walked out of the room and locked the door behind me. I walked downstairs and continued to beat my head against the wall.

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**Tawny's P.O.V.**

I got up and smirked. I had him completely fooled with the 'I'm so sick' thing. Of course, I had really been throwing up a few minutes ago, but I think that's acceptable considering everything. I had almost ruined it when he had left and I'd sat up.

I grabbed the chair and placed it under the knob. Then, I walked to the window and pulled it open, welcoming the rush of cold air that greeted me. I climbed out onto the roof and started upward. I had discovered this in the month I had been here. The window was sort of jutted out from the rest of the roof and there was a spot that was perfect for sitting and thinking right on top. It was the place I had decided would be my new 'spot'. My 'spot' at home had been a corner in my room that I would huddle in when I didn't want to be bugged.

I peered at the thick tree branch that passed near the edge of the roof and slowly slid down the roof to it. I reached a leg out and experimentally put some of my weight on it. It shook a little, but held as I put more weight on it. I slowly eased the rest of my weight on the branch and reached out my hand and clutched the branch. I scooted down the branch further and further from the roof until I reached the trunk of the tree. I slowly began my three-story descent, picking my way down, branch by branch.

I got to the last branch, about 7 feet off the ground. I thought for a second and then swung down so that I was hanging by my hands. I dropped onto the ground and landed clumsily. I glanced up and thought about how I would get back up, but quickly dismissed the thought. I turned and looked at the woods that were behind David's property.

At first I walked slowly, but then start to run until I couldn't see the house anymore. I wasn't running away 'cause I didn't even know where I was or how to get home. I got to a metal fence that marked the end of David's property. 'Wow.' I thought, "He must be rich or something.' I climbed over the fence and continued on my way. I wasn't scared of any wild animals or getting lost. I began to walk up a ridge, hoping to find a road or something. If I was going to run away I couldn't just walk down the mile-long driveway because he would easily catch up with me if he noticed. I needed to practice running and get to know the forest. If I was fast enough I could lose him in the trees.

Sadly, when I reached the crest of the ridge there was no road, but a large trench in the earth snaking through the forest. I walked down and peered over the edge. It was about 7 feet deep and there was a creek that ran down at the bottom of the trench. It was a little over a foot deep in the center and about 7 or 8 feet across. I climbed down slowly until I was perched on a small stepping stone that stuck out of the water. I saw another about 2 feet away and jumped. I landed clumsily and almost lost my balance on the slick stone. I went on like this till I reached the other side.

I was about to climb up the other side when I saw the sun had moved since I last looked. David might have noticed that I wasn't in my room by now. I quickly made my way back through the forest and leapt onto the fence quickly scrambling up and leaping down at top speed. I didn't slow down until the house was in sight. I reached the tree and found a few decent footholds to climb up. I quickly scaled the tree and up to my window.

I swung in to find my door had been broken down and there was frantic shouting coming from downstairs. "David!" I yelled, "Why did you break the door down?!" My yell was greeted by the sound of David pounding up the stairs and crushing the life out of me. "GET OFF ME!" I yelled and threw every curse I knew at him until he finally released me.

"Where were you?!" he yelled, "You scared me half to death."

"I was on the roof, ignoring you." I muttered and looked down at my feet, which were filthy and cut from my walk in the forest. I hadn't noticed until now because my feet were calloused and tough because Jack and I didn't usually wear shoes back in Jasper.

"You were where!?" he yelped, "You're sick you shouldn't be outside."

"I'm not sick!" I yelled in exasperation, "I was faking it so you wouldn't bug me. Now, because you broke my door down I have absolute zero privacy."

He looked really mad about pretending I was sick. He silently walked downstairs and when he came back up he had a new door. "Where were you keeping that?" I asked, but he didn't respond. He just kept installing the new door. I guessed that he had resolved not to talk to me. I grabbed a book and went into the closet with a flashlight. I sat there for a few hours until he was done with the door. I got out and walked to the door an d twisted the knob. It was locked from the outside. 'Figures' I thought. I grabbed a pencil and a piece of paper and began to draw out what I remembered of the woods.

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Thanks for waiting people. This story is still on top of my poll. Review please.

**UPDATED: 4/10/13**


	4. Leaving, Finally

Another week, another chapter. This chapter will contain some action, but it will only last for a few paragraphs. I really need more votes on my poll. I only had 5 people vote! There is a tie between updating this story and Muse Series Book 1. Please vote or at least review

Review Replies:

**IForgotMyName2Day** (Both Reviews): O.O Do you know me in person? I love Angels by Owl City and David Tennant (10) is my favorite doctor. I modeled Tawny after myself, so apparently I've just met my double. Count the Shadows and Turn Left -TerraPrime

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Chapter 4

Leaving...Finally

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**A little over 2 years later...**

"Happy Birthday, Tawny." David said sadly as I glared at him. I can't believe that I'm still here after more than two years. I hadn't seen mom or Jack in 2 years! He would be 12-years-old by now. I wondered if they even lived in Jasper anymore.

David saw my glare as a sign to leave and left the present on my bed.

The moment he left I went to the computer. I powered it up and opened Instant Messaging. Over the two years I had been here, David and I had established a system. When he went out he would lock my door and I.M. me to say how long he would be gone. He would also ask if I wanted him to get anything for me. At first I said no or didn't respond at all. Now I take each opportunity to get supplies for when I go home.

My brilliant plan was to slowly gather the supplies I needed, run into the forest, search for a road, and then hitchhike back to Nevada. I know it's not the safest plan or the smartest, but it was all I had. Plan C was to find the nearest police station and Plan B was still a work-in-progress. As stupid as it sounds, I don't really want David to go to jail. He's been really kind to me and I think the only thing keeping him from taking me home is his fear of going to jail. I just couldn't let him get arrested.

I sent him a quick IM:

**On the roof, don't bug me for the next hour-Tawny.**

He had insisted I tell him whenever I went out on the roof or if I just didn't want him to bug me. He didn't want to panic and break down the door again. In reality, over half the time I was 'on the roof' I was really out jogging in the woods. I had completed a full map of the woods, including all the landmarks and various hiding places I had found over the years. I had built up a habit of going into the woods every day, running to the fence, climbing it, running to the small gorge, climbing down and back up, then running back to the house. I had done that over and over, every day for the past... two years and five months.

I was an incredibly fast runner and my endurance had improved since I had started my daily exercises. I never wore my shoes and my feet were tough and I barely even noticed the rocks under my feet. I had estimated the distance to the gorge at about 2 and a half miles and my best time for getting there _including _climbing the fence and climbing down was 16 minutes! I quickly stuck my head out the window, and saw that it was raining. I smiled as the rain poured against my face. I would have a little trouble climbing down, but if I was careful it wouldn't matter.

I ran across the room and dug into my closet until I found my backpack. I heaved it out the window and onto the roof. It slid down until it hit the gutter and stopped. I slipped out the window and grabbed my bag, hooked it onto the tree branch, and climbed down, moving the bag from branch to branch. When I got to the last branch I dropped it and it landed with a solid THUMP. Every time I did this I was worried that David might hear, but he never did.

I swung down to the ground. I glanced at my arms and smiled. Another thing that I had improved on was my upper-body strength. I was no body builder, but I was still proud of myself. I slipped on my pack. Recently, I had realized that if I were to leave, I would have to carry all my things with me and that would slow me down significantly. I had filled my bag with 10 pounds worth of rocks and ran my usual route. It had slowed my time by 10_ freaking_ minutes! Since then I had started to run with my pack filled with rocks.

It still hindered me, but now I was getting used to the weight and I had turned the extra 10 minutes into 5. I planned to leave in the next 3 weeks. I had said that I was leaving before, but had chickened out when I got to the creek. I ran into the woods, loving the feeling of the ground against my bare, calloused feet (Ever since my first run, I had found I was more comfortable without my shoes on.)

I saw the fence and increased my speed, my feet hammering the ground. I felt the mud that caked on them, but I kept going. I reached the fence and leapt, catching the top of the fence and heaving myself up, quickly jumping off the top and over to the other side. I kept running letting the rain soak through my hair and run down my face.

I reached the creek and set my bag down. Then, I began to climb down. I reached down for a foothold and... slipped off the wet, mossy rock and fell into the freezing water.

I hit the bottom and felt my arm drag along the rocks at the edge. I gasped as a sharp pain filled my arm, and inhaled the chilled water, along with the silt I had kicked up. I tried to kick my way up and my leg hit a jagged rock. I quickly pulled my head above the running water and gasped for air. I stood up and found that the water only went to about my waist. I saw a small swirl of blood billowing from around my leg and running down the creek. I shivered as I made my way to the other side of the creek.

I scrambled up the wall and made sure to avoid any of the slippery rocks. I collapsed on the ground and shivered. Man, how could water get so cold?!

I emptied the rocks from my bag and slung it over my shoulder. The wind blew and went right through my soaked clothes. I started running, but quickly stopped because of the pain in the back of my left leg and arm. I inspected the gashes and winced. My leg looked like shredded meat and had blood oozing out.

As I limped home I realized that I wouldn't be able to leave if I couldn't even walk straight. I couldn't climb the tree either. I would have to knock and then David would know I've been outside. I guess I could tell him I fell off the roof, but then he would forbid me from going on the roof again and I wouldn't have any time where I could be alone without him bugging me.

When I reached the fence I had to walk along until I found a hole and climbed under. When the house came into view I winced. I walked up the door and knocked quietly. I waited, but no one came to the door. Finally, I knocked again louder and then rang the doorbell...nothing. He wasn't home.

I limped around the house until I got to the back window. I yanked it open and climbed inside, grimacing as my leg hit the window sill. I searched the house and found no sign of David. I went into the bathroom and opened the medicine cabinet and began to clean my wounds. I can't believe how stupid I had been, I could have drowned. I wondered where he had gone. The longest he had ever been gone was a few hours. I didn't understand how he had enough money to have a house like this if he never left for work.

I cleaned my leg and wrapped it in a bandage, then headed to bed. I couldn't sleep for the longest time, and I checked my IM's no new ones from David. I fell asleep slowly, wondering if he would be back in the morning.

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He wasn't there when I woke up, or the next day, or the next week. Every day I waited in my room for him to come back. After two weeks the food was kind of running low and I finally accepted that he wasn't coming back. First my dad left my mom, then he left me here, now David was gone to.

I was laying in my bed and staring at the blank ceiling when I finally realized this. I shot up out of bed and dashed to my closet. I grabbed a bag and began to stuff it with everything I would need. Things like clothes, food, water, jacket, blanket, flashlight, water bottles, crackers, soup, lighter, and many other items that I felt like I might need during my trek through the woods. I wasn't sure how far I would have to go to find a road. I ran downstairs and grabbed David's tent that I had found in the closet once.

I continued to pack until the only thing left was the picture of my family, my kindle, and the present that David had left me. I hadn't opened it yet and I didn't plan on bringing it with me. I carefully packed my picture in the center of my bag, cushioned by my clothes. I zipped up my bag and set it down on my bed. I picked up the small box, and wasting no time, I tore through the wrapping and opened the small box.

I reached in and picked up the small object. It was a necklace, with a silver chain and a locket. The locket depicted a dragon with his tail curling around a heart, with a small clasp on the side. I pressed my finger on the clasp and with a small click, it opened. Inside there was a picture of me on my father's shoulders, laughing and smiling at the camera. I felt the tears build behind my eyes and I looked away. I placed the necklace on the table and grabbed the envelope in the box.

I tore it open and dumped the contents on the bed. A bundle of money fell onto the bed along with two other envelopes. I picked up the envelope that had writing on it:_ Open Me First_ was scrawled on the front. I ripped it open and pulled out the letter:

_Dearest Tawny,_

_I've never been good with letters. Or talking to people for that matter. The locket was left by your father for you. He said that he was sorry he had to leave and that he loves you. He never explained why he had to leave or if he would ever come back. I haven't read the letter that came with it. I'm going to leave too. I don't want you to worry, even if you didn't really care. I can't tell you where I'm going and I know that this probably sounds like the stupidest letter ever written, but it's true. _

_I want you to know that I loved you almost as much as your father and that I hated him when he left you here. I have only the best wishes for you and your future. I left you some money._

_Forgive me,_

_David_

Dad loved me? Right, because taking your child away from her family and leaving her with an uncle that she's never met really shows you love them. I grabbed the other letter. It was typed up, not hand written:

**Tawny,**

**I want you to know that I will always love you. Even if I'm not always there for you. I will love you more than you will ever know and care more deeply then you could ever dream.**

**I didn't want to leave you behind. I can't even remember a day that I haven't regretted the decision that I've made. I know that you've grown up a lot since I've last seen you. I can only hope that you've forgiven me, even if what I did was unforgivable. I hope that David has been kind to you and that you've adjusted well to the environment. I always loved it here, with the rain and cold. Jasper was very hot and didn't have enough plants for me.**

**I'm getting off track, aren't I? What I want to say is that I only wanted the best for you. I wish I could explain to you why I did it, why I left your mother. I would be lying if I said that I didn't regret leaving your mother and brother. You would have been in danger if you had stayed. I can't even begin to explain, I just hope that you're happy and safe.**

**I love you,**

**Dad**

I wasn't sure when it happened, but my despair and confusion at the letter turned to anger. How could you leave your child and then tell them that you love them?! Did he think that after over two years away from my family I could just forgive him? What kind of person does that? I began to beat my pillow and my anger lessened. Maybe he left for a reason. If he didn't want to leave mom, then why did he? Why would he take me instead of just leaving me with mom and Jack? What danger? I felt like one of the characters in my books, confused and alone. In fact, my situation could be a book. If it was then I would be the heroine and have a power or something that made me special. I would have a happily ever after and get back to my family. But this wasn't a book, this was real life. I might die or get lost, maybe hurt along the way. Even if I made it to Jasper, mom might not even live there anymore.

I put on the locket and placed the letters in the box. I picked up the bundle and was shocked to see that they were all hundreds. This was more money than I had ever held in my entire life. I counted the bills out carefully. It was a total of three thousand dollars. Okay, so enough money to buy something to eat along the way or get on a train.

I put it in my bag, along with the box. I grabbed my shoes and tried to slip my feet in. They were too small to fit. Figures, since I haven't worn them in two years. I threw them down and ran out the door and into the woods. I never looked back.

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I'm sorry if the chapter isn't the best. I've got jet lag and its Christmas. Merry Christmas to all you people.

Next Chapter: Tawny meets the 'Cons.

Read and review


	5. Hitchhiker

**Hi... I'm not dead. Here's my first chapter with 'Cons in** **it. Read and Review**

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Chapter 5

Hitchhiker

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The sound of my feet hitting the ground was louder than it had ever been before. I wasn't even out of breath by the time I reached the ravine. I couldn't believe that I was actually leaving. The feeling of joy that rose in my chest was quickly quelled by dark thoughts, driving doubts into my mind.

'_What if mom doesn't even want me anymore? What if they've moved away? What if they don't remember me?' _I knew that most of those thoughts were completely dumb. It's only been two years so I doubt that mom has forgotten about me. What really troubled me was that I had probably changed during my two years with David, both physically and mentally. What if mom and Jack didn't recognize me? Or didn't like the person that I had become?

I took off my bag and tossed it to the other side of the trench. Then, I climbed down slowly, careful of the wet, mossy rocks that had caused my fall before. As I reached the bottom I pulled up my pant legs with my feet, not wanting them to get wet. I jumped and splashed down into the stream, shivering as the cold water ran around my legs and soaking the rims of my pant legs despite my efforts to keep them dry. I glanced down and saw the scar that went up my leg. I both loved and hated that scar, it was a permanent reminder of what had happened to me, but it was also a reminder of how I got away.

I reached the other side of the stream and searched the other side for hand and foot holds. I had never dared go beyond the trench, lest I not be able to get back to the house before David discovered my absence. It took longer for me to scale the unfamiliar wall, but I got up quickly enough. I picked up my bag and looked at the forest ahead of me. I just had to keep walking until I reached a road and get someone to drive me to the nearest train station. With the money I had I could probably get a train ticket to Nevada and get home.

As I mentally reviewed my plan, I realized how stupid it sounded. A child could have thought it out. Well, technically I was a child, but that didn't matter. I would cross those bridges when I got there. I kept walking in the same general direction, my ears straining for the sound of engines. I wondered what people would think of a young, barefooted hitchhiker on the side of the road. _'I really should have packed some socks.'_ I thought as I stopped and leaned against a tree, checking on my feet.

They were black as pitch and patches of sap covered them. I pulled out a few pine needles that were poking into them and sighed, I wish David had bought me shoes. I suppose I could have _borrowed_ some of his, but there was no going back now. I took off my pack and sipped from a water bottle. I glanced at David's watch, which I had fastened to my wrist. I've walked for about half an hour since I crossed the stream. I felt another rush of giddy joy when I realized that is all went well, I could be home in a few more days. I could see Jack and Mom and my room. _My music player..._ I laughed as that thought drifted through my head, I hadn't seen it in two years.

I started to walk again, wondering how long it would be before a road showed up. Who knows, I might have just walked away from a small road or it might be miles to the next road. I didn't even know what state I was in! I growled, "Stop it, brain." It felt good to hear a voice, even if it was my own. I had started talking to myself the day after David had left. I've been deprived of all company for the past week and a half. I'm surprised I haven't gone mad from the silence.

When I felt good enough, I speed up to a good jogging pace, letting my thoughts wander.

Suddenly, I stopped and listened, wondering if my mind was playing tricks on me. I grinned madly as I turned to my left and began to push through some ferns. I laughed and started to run at full speed toward the sound. Almost immediately a road came into view. It was gravel and it didn't look like many people used it. There was a car close by, though. I had heard the rumble of an engine and the unmistakable sound of tires on gravel. I could still see the remnants of a dust cloud and could see wet marks from the tires.

Luckily for me I could see the puddle that they had driven through. Staying off the road and on the soft grass, as to not cut my feet on the stones, I began to run in the same direction the car seemed to be headed in. It wasn't long before I saw the vehicle; it was almost twice my height and looked very military, barely fitting on the road. I stopped and gapped for a second. I realized it was still moving and I resumed my run. As I got closer I realized that it wasn't military, it was painted blue, while most military vehicles would be painted green, grey, or dusty brown.

I started to shout as I neared and the truck stopped, the engine still humming. The door opened and a tall man hopped out. He looked strong, but there was a nervous air about him, like he was uncomfortable with how he looked. I waved and slowed as I neared him. He was wearing a t-shirt that was the same color as the monster of a truck he drove around in. He was wearing grey cargo pants and a pair of wore boots. "Hello..." I said and winced at my voice, I hadn't realized that it sounded so underused before, but now I felt self-conscious about my appearance. I realized that he was the first person I had seen other than David in two years.

He looked me up and down and his eyes seemed to soften. "What's a youngling like you doing around here? Where are your cr...parents?" I smiled softly at the sound of another voice. I wondered about the way he had changed what he was going to say, but I shrugged it off quickly, relishing hearing a new voice after so long.

"I...I sort of, um, got lost?" I cursed my own stupidity when my answer came out as a question, "As for my mom, she's in Nevada, I think. This is a sort of weird question, but, um, where are we?" His eye brows raised a fraction. "You got lost. How in the world did you get from Nevada to the middle of nowhere?" He asked and tilted his head in confusion.

"Doesn't matter."

"I think it does."

"No, can you please stop asking questions and drive me to the nearest train station?"

"Not until you tell me how in the world you ended up as a dirty, barefoot hitchhiker!"

"It doesn't matter!" I was practically shouting at this stranger, but I felt the hopelessness surging up again. I didn't want to explain my situation to some random guy I barely even knew, but it could be hours before the next car came along. I silently cursed my father and David for leaving me in this situation. I was surprised when the man's eyes softened.

"Alright, it's none of my business anyway." He said and smiled, but I knew that it would be a long drive to the nearest train station and he would probably bring it up again. That is, if he decides to help.

"So, will you help me?" I asked, my voice small.

"Yeah, I will. Get in." He said and walked around the car opening the door for me. I followed, wincing as gravel caught in my feet. I smiled thankfully at him when he helped me in, taking my bag and tossing it into the back. He climbed in and I noticed the wheel, on it was a logo. It was sharp angled and purple, and resembled a face.

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**Breakdown's P.O.V.**

"Have you found anything yet?" Knockout's asked for the millionth time.

"No, I haven't. Knockout, we have 4 orbital cycles of energon scouting and we've already found a massive vein and set up a permanent base. Remind me again why we have to drive our tires off instead of sending the vehicons to do it." I said.

"You're right!" Knockout cried and I sighed in relief.

"So...back to base?" I asked.

"No, you're staying here. I'm not spending another minute on this filthy road. It's destroying my beautiful finish." Knockout said and swerved around, remotely activating the bridge and heading back to base."

I growled to myself as I glared at the spot I had last seen KO. He may have been my best friend, but he couldn't get more annoying. I started off again, my tires bumping along the crumbled rock road. I hated the way the rocks got stuck in my tires and the dust getting in my gears. I hit a puddle and mud splashed up and splattered my paint. My alt-mode was meant for off-roading, but it didn't mean I enjoyed it.

I drove on, scanning for energon as I went along. I was thinking about speeding up and risking missing a smaller vein, until shouting stopped me in my tracks. I quickly stopped my alt-mode and activated my holoform. I climbed out of my alt-mode and looked at the human. It was a young femme, she was running after me. She was covered in dirt and wore no protective coverings on her...feet. I felt proud to have remembered to human term, having studied the native species upon arrival to earth. I might look like I'm just a brute, but I'm not Knockout's assistant for nothing. Pit, I might be actually be smarter than Knockout.

When she got closer I looked her up and down. She was small, certainly not old enough to be wandering around in the middle of nowhere without her creators. The only thing she had with her was a small bag. She had strong arms, but seemed thin.

"Hello..." She said and I was shocked at how underused her voice sounded. I felt terrible for her, I had no idea why.

"What's a youngling like you doing around here?" I asked, cursing myself quietly. Humans might not call them younglings. "Where are your cr...parents?" I asked.

She smiled softly as I spoke, like she was relishing the sound of my voice. "I..." She hesitated, "I, uh, sort of...got lost?" She said and then looked cross with herself. "As for my mom, she's in Nevada, I think." I looked up Nevada on the human internet, and then compared Nevada to our current location. It was hundreds of miles away! How in the slagging world did she get here?! And what did she mean, 'I think.'? "You got lost." I said and raised my eyebrows. "How in Pit did you get from Nevada to the middle of nowhere?"

"Doesn't matter." _'DOESN'T MATTER?!_' I thought. _It slagging matters to me!_ How in the _pit_ did she end up here, I snapped a picture of her and began searching the human internet for any image matches. It would take a while, but I was sure to get something on one of the social networking pages.

"I think it does."

"No, can you please stop asking questions and drive me to the nearest train station!" She shouted and a look of complete desperation came into her eyes. I felt my spark melt under her gaze. I cursed my soft spark and decided to have the last word in this argument.

"Not until you tell me how in the world you ended up as a dirty, barefooted hitchhiker!"

"IT DOESN'T MATTER!"

"Alright, it's none of my business anyway." I surrendered, holding my servos, no wait...hands up, and I caught the grateful, but suspicious look she sent me. Someone as young of her should never have that look. It was the look of someone who had been betrayed too much, and thought that every kindness was a cruelty in disguise. I smiled at her.

"So, will you help me?" she asked and her anger quelled quickly.

"Yeah, I will. Get in." I said as I walked up to my alt-mode and opened the door. I helped her in and took her back, tossing it in my back seat. As I closed her door and walked around the search results came in. I looked at the results and almost gasped in shock.

**No Image Match**

There was almost a zero percent chance that a girl her age had no recent pictures of herself on the human internet, whether she was the one who put it there or not. I would ask her designation when we started off. I was going to take her home. I wasn't going to just leave a youngling to fend for herself, Decepticon or not. I got in and looked at her; she was staring intently at the insignia on my wheel.

I realized that if I was going to drive her, I couldn't use a ground bridge, and I would have to keep my holoform up, which would drain my energon a lot faster. I would also need to stop and drink some energon at some point. This meant taking her back to base, without her seeing any of the vehicons or worse, Knockout seeing her. Then, I would have to find a way to refuel without her seeing.

Knockout is going to offline me if he finds out about this, or worse, kill her.

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**Please don't kill me! I know I haven't updated in forever, but I have finals!**


	6. Bradley Brown?

Chapter 6 is here!

I am so sorry for the delay! I've had a busy few weeks and not much time to write, but now mid-winter break is here and I finally have time to write something.

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Lost and Found

Chapter 6

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"What's your name, kid?" I asked, trying to get the information out of her without it sounding like an interrogation. She looked at me, eyebrows raised.

"Should I really tell my name to a complete stranger?"

"Should you really be getting in a car with a complete stranger?"

"Touché. My name is Tawny, and your name is…?"

I froze; Breakdown isn't exactly a normal human name. "Um...Brea-Bradley?" I said awkwardly and she frowned at me, clearly disbelieving.

"Is that a question? Come on_ Bradley_, I told you my name, but you won't tell me yours?" Even as she spoke I was doing searches for the name. It was much harder to do without a proper last name. I immediately revised my search when I came up with painting sites and a children's book about a lion.

"It's my name. Bradley, um, Brown..." I muttered and her frown deepened, "What's your last name?" I asked and she shot me another glare.

"I don't have one anymore." She stated and I saw a flash of anger in her eyes.

"What do you mean you don't have one? Of course you have one! Everyone has a last name." I said, I'm pretty sure that all humans have a last name, even if it was pretty rare on Cybertron.

"Well, I'm not everyone!" She snapped and I could practically feel her glare burning into me.

"What's your mother's last name then?" The silence that followed was deafening, the only sound was my tires bumping along the uneven road.

"Darby." She conceded at last and I smiled softly to myself; that I could work with.

"That wasn't so hard." I said and she glared again.

"Just take me to the train station, alright." I frowned at her and went silent, focusing on driving and searching her name. I got an immediate hit. It was a news article on the kidnapping of a girl called Tawny Price. I almost waved it off as an error until I saw her mother's name, June Darby. It couldn't be a coincidence.

I felt my surprise grow as I read through the article. Kidnapped, assumed dead, her father... It was just too much. Then I saw the date that the article had been posted, two years ago. I felt a flash of rage at Tawny's father, and swore that if I ever saw the fragger, he wouldn't live to tell the tale. The surge of protectiveness hit next, and it confused me. I had met her less than five minutes before, and plus, she was human!

Along with the article, there was a picture of a kid, who looked similar to Tawny. The younger version of Tawny had shorter hair and was smiling brightly in the picture, nothing like she was now. Now I was dealing with an angry, slightly paranoid, and annoyingly perceptive girl who had been hurt too much in her short life.

I should probably turn her over to the police, but then they would question me. Then there was the fact that she wasn't trying to get to the police, so unless she was an idiot, she had some kind of reason not to. I didn't want to leave her to the government; there was nothing on what happened to her mother after she went missing.

"What's wrong?" She asked suddenly and I realized that a sour frown had settled on my holoform's face.

"Nothing." I answered quickly and tried an awkward smile; I didn't smile much on the Nemesis. She could obviously tell, and gave me a look full of fake pity.

"Wow, you get out a lot, don't you?"

"Stop being...sarcatic." I said, hoping I had gotten the word right. Her face screwed up, "Don't you mean sarcastic?"

"Um...yeah, sarcastic..." I cursed myself for getting a common word wrong. Why couldn't I have just looked up the term?!

"You're weird, you know that right?" She was frowning, but there was mirth in her eyes. The look on her face melted my spark, the spark of laughter in her eyes completely changing her face, like she was slipping into a set of old armor. I knew in that moment that there was no way I would just leave her to the police.

"So I've been told..."

**Tawny's P.O.V.**

"What's your name, kid?" the man asked and I inwardly groaned as I realized that I had just become a hitchhiker. Mum would be so proud of me.

"Should I really be telling my name to a complete stranger?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

"Should you really be getting in a car with a complete stranger?" _He has me there_ I thought to myself.

"Touché. My name is Tawny, and your name is…?" My own name felt strange in my mouth, and I realized that it was the first time I had actually said my name in years.

"Um...Brea-Bradley?" _What was he going to say? His name is obviously _not _Bradley! He doesn't even look like a Bradley!_ _Okay, how do I know what a Bradley looks like? I've never even met someone named Bradley. Uhg, focus Tawny._

"Is that a question? Come on, _Bradley._ I told you my name, but you won't tell me yours?" I made sure to emphasize the fake name.

"It's my name. Bradley, um, Brown..." Okay, I'll just go with that. I shot him a disbelieving look, but he seemed distracted. "What's your last name?" _Come on. Does he really expect me to hand out my last name? I don't even have a proper last name anymore._

"I don't have one." I said and even as the words left my mouth I felt another surge of anger at my father rush through me.

"What do you mean you don't have one? Of course you have one! Everyone has a last name." He wasn't even looking at the road as he stared at me. _He hasn't been looking at the road at all. _I shook the thought off as quickly as they came; of course he was looking at the road.

"Well, I'm not everyone!" I snapped at him, imagining my eyes burning holes into him.

"What's your mother's last name then?" I froze, _Mom's last name? Darby. Is that who I am? Tawny Darby or am I Tawny Price? Or just some girl without a name, someone who no one wants?_

"Darby..." I muttered and he smiled softly, the expression looked at home on his face, but it still foreign.

"That wasn't so hard." I glared, _You have no idea._

"Just take me to the train station, alright." I said and looked away terminating the conversation. When he didn't say anything I glanced at his face, his expression was in constant motion: Confusion, concern, a flash of anger, pity, rage, and then finally settling on indecision he moved his head to look at me. I quickly looked away, but he wasn't really looking at me at all, just staring past me with a frown on his face. _He's weird..._

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing." He replied a little too quickly and grimaced. It took me a moment to realize that he was trying to smile at me.

"Wow, you get out a lot, don't you?" I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm and fake pity.

"Stop being...sarcatic." _Sarcatic?_

"Don't you mean sarcastic?" I said, keeping a straight face, despite the laugh building in my throat. I hadn't laughed in a while.

"Um...yeah, sarcastic..." He muttered and I frowned to keep myself from cracking up at his awkward demeanor.

"You're weird, you know that right?" I said, deciding that I liked this stranger, despite the fact that in the first two conversations we've had, I've ended up snapping at him.

He smiled again, this time there was no awkward grimace, but a natural smile.

"So I've been told..." He said and the dam broke, and I burst into hysterical giggles. He looked surprised, just staring as I gasped for breath. I didn't really know what I was laughing about, but I couldn't stop. Tears were streaming down my face by the time I stopped laughing.

"What's so funny?" He asked, and I smiled,

"Nothing, it's just..." I didn't finish my sentence, telling him that he was absolutely hilarious might make him feel bad. I had kind of thrown manners out the window for the past two years, but this wasn't David. I suddenly felt guilty and looked away. I had no excuse to yell at him, or to be rude and laugh at his awkwardness, but I did anyway. He was looking at me, I could feel it.

I froze and I realized how weird I must seem. He finds a strange, shoeless, hitchhiking girl in the middle of the woods, who said her mom is in Nevada, that she doesn't have a last name, and appears to be having severe mood swings. I shouldn't be acting like this for at least another year! I groaned, and turned around.

"Forget the past few minutes okay." I said and he gave me a weird look.

Then I smiled and put out my hand, "Hi, I'm Tawny. Can I have a ride to the nearest train station? My mum is in Nevada and I need to get back to her."

He looked confused for a second and then laughed, shaking my hand. "Sure. My name is Bradley Brown. Nice to meet you."

I opened my mouth to say something else, but instead flew against the car door. The truck had swerved violently off the road, into the woods. I heard Bradley curse.

"Autobots!"

* * *

Cliffhanger! Don't kill me for waiting so long to update, and then giving you a sort of filler chapter with a cliffhanger.

In your reviews, could you please tell me what you think of the alternating perspectives and I'm not sure if I got Breakdown's personality right. Please help, and if I made any spelling/grammar errors, feel free to point them out!


	7. Confusion, Tasers, and Drones

_I own nothing. 'Cept for my OC's._

I have several things to say:

1. Question: Does Steve or any other drone depicted as having a personality count as an OC? I'm not sure. And yes, this does mean Steve will be mentioned in the story.

2. I am _so_ sorry that I haven't updated in such a long time. I was trying to overcome writer's block.

3. I am eternally thankful for your (See the list at the bottom of the page.) support.

4. If I made any grammar or spelling errors at all, please tell me in your reviews.

* * *

**Chapter 7**

**Confusion, Tasers, and Drones**

* * *

**Tawny's P.O.V.**

I screamed as the world exploded around me. I couldn't hear anything except the sound of metal grinding together. I was tossed forward, but the seatbelt jerked me to a stop and then tightened around me, pulling me back.

The metal sound disappeared, and was replaced with the loud, but gentle hum of a machine, and, under that, there was the sound of voices. I strained to hear what they were saying, but they were too muffled by the walls. The room, or whatever I was in, was dimly lit up by glowing blue cables and wires that ran across the walls. The world still shook around me, but not as violently as before.

I grew frantic when I realized that Bradley wasn't there. What if he had gotten crushed when…what had happened exactly? What had he meant by 'Autobots'? I didn't know, but I had a feeling that I had just gotten myself into even more trouble than I was already in, and that was saying something. I could practically hear mom for hitchhiking when I got home. That thought instantly made my panic increase tenfold. What if I didn't get home because of this...whatever it was that was happening?

I was distracted yet again when the voices stopped. _What was going on? _Without warning, the room (box, cage, machine?) pitched to the side, me with it, but I was caught by the seatbelt and held to the wall. I could barely register what was happening. The room(?) felt like a rollercoaster, and each movement was accompanied by loud, echoing clangs and sometimes the room(?) would vibrate.

I couldn't think straight, and I felt sick to my stomach. I had never been on a real rollercoaster, and now I never wanted to. I hadn't screamed so much in my life, not even the time Jack and I had snuck out of bed to watch scary movies when I was seven. Mom had found me huddled against Jack, crying for him to turn it off and him being too petrified to move.

Then, everything stopped.

Well, not _everything, _but most. The room(?) wasn't violently shaking or flipping around, but the entire room vibrated gently and there was loud, water-like sound that droned out everything.

I had almost collected myself when the world exploded again. The sound of shifting gears and metal rang in my ears again, but, unlike last time, I didn't scream. It wasn't because I wasn't scared, it mostly because the shock was beginning to set in.

I opened my eyes, _When had I closed them?, _and looked around. I was in the truck again. I couldn't see out the windows because of the blinding light, and then I glanced over at the driver's seat. The very, very _empty_ driver's seat. I was about to scream again, when the seatbelt wrapped around my mouth.

_What the... _

"Be quiet, duck down, and try not to be seen. If they see you before I can explain..." A voice, _Bradley's voice_, came from the dash-board.

"Fksdfakl!?" I interjected and the seatbelt came undone.

"Hide and I'll explain later." The voice commanded and then, like an afterthought, "I-I promise."

_He _promises_? What good is a promise? I need to get home. I haven't taken orders from anyone in two years. Why should I start now?_

"No. I need to get home." I said, and reached for the door, and tried to yank it open. Locked, of course, because nothing could come easily to me, could it?.

"Sorry..."

"Wh-AH!" I yelped as a sharp pain flared in my shoulder and everything went black.

* * *

**Breakdown's P.O.V.**

I internally winced as her body jerked and slumped against the seats. I had never used the energon taser that KO had installed before, but I could guess they hurt. If Knockout had seen her, she would be a lot worse off than getting tasered. As carefully as I could, I transformed again and walked through the end of the ground-bridge.

I would need to find a safe place to put her. Maybe I could ask one of the drones to take care of her. They were trust-worthy, especially R-0B130, S-T3V3, R-0550, and T-R3K0 or Robbie, Steve, Ross, and Trekker as they were known by their brothers. The drones had started to use human designations instead of their assigned numbers.

I nodded to the drone that had bridged me back to base, O-5CAR, and started toward the other side of the base, where the drones recharged. As I walked, I commed Robbie.

:Robbie?: I asked hesitantly.

:Yeah?: True to form, Robbie immediately picked up on his tone and knew it wasn't a formal call.

:I need a favor...:

:Sure. What is it? 'Cause I am not going to do anything to Knockout for you. The last time...:

He shuddered when he remembered that. Robbie had sabotaged KO's buffer so it would scratch his paint and the entire Nemesis had paid the price. He had denied all the drones medical care and wouldn't let me have his tools to take care of them myself. Then _someone_ had changed the chemicals in the washracks to hot-pink paint.

:How much do you know about organics?: I asked bluntly.

:Not much...:

:Do you think you and Trekker could take care of one for a little while? I was going to return her to where ever she came from, but then the Autobots showed up and I ended up dragging her back to base. I don't even want to think about what's going to happen when KO finds out.:

:Um..Okay...:

:Thank you. Remind me to get you guys some high-grade.:

I could almost imagine the look on his face. Drones almost _never_ got high-grade, the only way to get it was to steal it or get it from me and even then, they opted to share it with each other. Then I groaned...I had just told _Robbie_ I would get him high-grade. The others never let Robbie anywhere near high-grade, partly because he was technically too young for it and mostly because of the after effects. The one time he had been overcharged...I shuddered again...the Nemesis was lucky to have survived with minimal damage.

Robbie and Trekker were waiting for me when I got there. Robbie and Trekker both looked curious as I shifted into my alt-mode, and used my holoform to pull out Tawny and her bag. I sent her gently on the ground and transformed again.

"Is it dead?" Robbie asked bluntly, only to be kicked by Trekker. They weren't supposed to address their commanders without being spoken to first.

"I don't mind, Trekker. She's fine; I knocked her out so KO wouldn't hear her."

Robbie snickered, "You knocked her out to avoid _Knockout._"

"Yes, just...comm me when she wakes up. I have to go get debriefed about the attack." _I hate reporting. _I thought and sighed.

Robbie, as if reading my CPU, laughed. "Sucks to be you. Who is it? Screamer or Soundwave?"

"Starscream."

"Good luck with that." Robbie said, and reached down to pick up the human. He gripped her leg between his digits and dangled her near his faceplates. I winced, if they kept that up, she wouldn't survive an hour.

I was about to move forward when Trekker darted forward and carefully snatched the human from Robbie's grasp. He carefully set the still unconscious human down against her bag. Maybe she was in good hands after all.

"Is your processor fried? You don't hold it like that." Trekker said, finally speaking. He was quiet most of the time and when he did speak, it was to lecture one of his 'younger brothers'. He could stop fights with a single glance and make them clean their barracks, thank Primus for that. He insulted them half the time, but it was always affectionately.

He began to walk away as he heard Trekker start to lecture Robbie on how organics were to be handled with care because they were 'fragile and if Robbie had a problem that, he would have to talk to the idiot that had designed them'. Yes, I had left her in good hands.

* * *

I am so sorry it took so long to get this chapter up. I had it all typed up and ready to go and then I reread it and it was awkward and poorly written. I completely scrapped the first draft and had to rewrite the entire thing. I hope you guys liked this chapter. I want input on my introductions to Robbie and Trekker. They will be heavily involved in the next few chapters, so I want to know what you think. So go ahead and let me know what you think.

Also, I would like to take a moment and thank everyone who followed, favorited, or reviewed my story so far. You guys are awesome.

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Thank you so much for your support:) Have some fat-free, sugar-free, calorie-free digidonuts: **OOOOO**

**Next chapter: Tawny wakes up...**


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